There might be a new form of higher education in California soon, and it’s been given a very creative name: the “New University of California.”
State Assembly Member Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) introduced Assembly Bill 1306 in February, which proposes a new way to educate students.
If the bill is passed, the New University of California would be the fourth source of postsecondary education provided by California, joining the California Community Colleges, the Cal State University and the University of California systems.
Now, you may be wondering why California would need a new university system?
Well, there is a catch with the proposed system: there would be no professors, no physical attendance and no tuition. College credit would be given to students if they pass certain exams, and eventually students could earn either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
The New University of California would be a revolutionary step in the way we teach higher education, but the Daily 49er editorial board does not believe this is a wise option for fixing California’s colleges.
There are so many lessons a student of the New University of California would miss out on by not physically attending school. There would be zero interaction between fellow students and professors. The student would have no opportunities to share ideas, ask questions, be exposed to other points of view, work in a team or even network.
Also, since the structure of the New University of California would allow students to complete class material at their own leisure and take the exams when they feel prepared, it strips them of important life lessons in accountability, responsibility and scheduling work ahead of time.
At the same time, a degree from the New University of California would likely be far less valuable than a CSU or UC degree. It seems that the New University of California is being proposed to address the lack of classes and resources available to students in current higher education systems. By creating an online system, California can streamline higher education at a low cost for both sides.
Yet, just because the technology exists to do the aforementioned doesn’t mean it is the right solution.
Instead of spending money on both creating and maintaining an online college system, the state could reinvest in its current public education systems. The CSU, UC and CCC systems could all do with a little more support. We hope that the next state budget addresses that.